The Philippines said on Thursday, Oct. 17, that it condemns any actions that endanger the lives of United Nations peacekeepers.
The country's statement came following a report from United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) that Israeli forces fired at their peacekeepers' watchtower in southern Lebanon.
UNIFIL also reported that Israeli troops "forcibly entered" a UNIFIL position near the Lebanese village of Ramyah, crossing the UN-mandated Blue Line.
"The Philippines strongly condemns any action that endangers the safety and security of UN Peacekeepers as they fulfill their mandate in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations," the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement, without mentioning any incident in particular.
The Philippines then called on all member states of the UN to uphold their obligations under international law "and ensure that peacekeepers are permitted to carry out their critical work."
It said that violations of peacekeeping mandates undermine the rules-based international order and destabilize regions where peace efforts are most needed.
"We reaffirm our commitment to multilateral cooperation for the promotion of international peace and security," it said.